Progressive distributor for lubricants

Abstract

A progressive distributor 1 for lubricants is provided, where the lubricant is fed in under pressure via a joint channel 20 and then discharged in several discharge channels and ports 25 to 28. At least two successively disposed piston elements 4, 5 are each provided with a piston 8 in each case shiftable between two end positions in a cylinder bore 7 and provided with control grooves 9, 10. The piston subdivides the cylinder bore 7 into two outer metering chambers 17, 18 and at least one intermediately disposed control chamber 19. The piston elements 4, 5 are connected to each other such that the pistons 8 are shifted successively and that lubricant is transported from a metering chamber 17, 18 via a control chamber 19 to an output 25 to 28. In order to damp the piston 8 of the progressive distributor 1 in the respective end positions and in order to provide a forced circulation of the lubricant with a flushing of the connecting channels 21 to 24 and the metering chambers 17, 18 and thus in order to ensure a safe ventilation, each metering chamber 17, 18 is provided with two separate from each other channels 21, 22, 23, 24 which form an input feed channel 21, 22 and an output discharge channel 23, 24. The input feed channel 21, 22 is connected permanently to the metering chamber 18, whereas the output channel 23, 24 can be separated from the metering chamber with a piston surface under formation of a control edge 29.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims: 
     
       1. A progressive distributor for lubricants comprising metering chambers;   at least two successively connected piston bore elements;   a piston for each piston bore element, which can be slid between two end positions and which piston is provided with control grooves, where the piston subdivides the piston bore element into two outer metering chambers and at least one intermediate control chamber;   two separate channels forming a feed channel and a discharge channel connected to each metering chamber of a corresponding piston bore element, each channel passing through a corresponding intermediate control chamber of the other bore;   a control edge formed in a wall of a piston associated with the other bore for interrupting the feed channel and the discharge channel at the corresponding intermediate control chamber based on the motion of the piston such that the several channels connecting the piston bore elements result in a successive shifting of the pistons thereby transporting lubricant from a metering chamber via a control chamber to a discharge port.   
     
     
       2. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 1 wherein a discharge channel is provided as an annular channel surrounding a metering chamber.   
     
     
       3. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 1 further comprising a notch extending in axial direction disposed on a piston on the side toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       4. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 1 further comprising a narrowing ball shaped end section of a piston end toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       5. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 1 further comprising a narrowing conical shaped end section of a piston end toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       6. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 1 further comprising a narrowing step-shaped end section of a piston end and directed toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       7. A progressive distributor for lubricants comprising a casing;   a first piston having a first groove and a second groove to provide respective control chambers;   a second piston having a third groove and a fourth groove to provide respective control chambers;   a joint channel for feeding pressurized lubricant to the distributor;   a first metering chamber disposed in the casing and associated with a first end of the first piston;   a first feed connection connecting the first metering chamber to the joint channel via a control groove of the second piston;   a first discharge channel connected to the first metering chamber and controlled with a control groove of the second piston such that the control setting is opposite to that of the first feed connection;   a second metering chamber disposed in the casing and associated with a second end of the first piston;   a second feed connection connecting the second metering chamber to the joint channel via a control groove of the second piston;   a second discharge channel connected to the second metering chamber and controlled with a control groove of the second piston such that the control setting is opposite to that of the second feed connection and of the first discharge channel;   a third metering chamber disposed in the casing and associated with a first end of the second piston; a third feed connection connecting the third metering chamber to the joint channel via a control groove of the first piston;   a third discharge channel connected to the third metering chamber and controlled with a control groove of the first piston such that the control setting is opposite to that of the third feed connection;   a fourth metering chamber disposed in the casing and associated with a second end of the second piston;   a fourth feed connection connecting the fourth metering chamber to the joint channel via a control groove of the first piston;   a fourth discharge channel connected to the fourth metering chamber and controlled with a control groove of the first piston such that the control setting is opposite to that of the fourth feed connection and to that of the third discharge connection;   such that the pistons are shifted successively and lubricant is transported from one of the metering chambers to a respective discharge channel.   
     
     
       8. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 7 wherein a discharge channel is provided as an annular channel surrounding a metering chamber.   
     
     
       9. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 7 further comprising a notch extending in axial direction disposed on a piston on the side toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       10. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 7 further comprising a narrowing ball shaped end section of a piston end toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       11. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 7 further comprising a narrowing conical shaped end section of a piston end and directed toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       12. The progressive distributor for lubricants according to claim 7 further comprising a narrowing step-shaped end section of a piston end toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       13. A method for progressively distributing lubricants comprising placing a first piston having a first groove and a second groove to provide respective control chambers in a casing;   placing a second piston having a third groove and a fourth groove to provide respective control chambers in a casing;   feeding pressurized lubricant to a joint channel for entry into a distribution system;   passing lubricant from a first feed connection connecting a first metering chamber associated with a first end of the first piston to the joint channel via a control groove of the second piston;   passing lubricant via a second discharge channel connected to a second metering chamber associated with a second end of the first piston and controlled with a control groove of the second piston;   next passing lubricant via a fourth feed connection connecting a fourth metering chamber associated with a second end of the second piston to the joint channel via a control groove of the first piston;   passing lubricant via a third discharge channel connected to a third metering chamber associated with a first end of the second piston and controlled with a control groove of the first piston;   next passing lubricant via a second feed connection connecting the second metering chamber to the joint channel via a control groove of the second piston;   passing lubricant via a first discharge channel connected to the first metering chamber;   next passing lubricant via a third feed connection connecting the third metering chamber to the joint channel via a control groove of the first piston;   passing lubricant via a fourth discharge channel connected to the fourth metering chamber and controlled with a control groove of the first piston; and   continuing the four cycle process of passing lubricant effectively from the joint channel to respective discharge channels.   
     
     
       14. The method for progressively distributing lubricants according to claim 13 further comprising collecting the lubricant in a discharge channel formed as an annular channel surrounding a metering chamber.   
     
     
       15. The method for progressively distributing lubricants according to claim 13 further comprising passing some lubricant through a notch extending in axial direction disposed on a piston on the side toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       16. The method for progressively distributing lubricants according to claim 13 further comprising passing some lubricant by a narrowing ball shaped end section of a piston end toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       17. The method for progressively distributing lubricants according to claim 13 further comprising passing some lubricant by a narrowing conical shaped end section of a piston end toward a metering chamber.   
     
     
       18. The method for progressively distributing lubricants according to claim 13 further comprising passing some lubricant by a narrowing step-shaped end section of a piston end toward a metering chamber.